The present disclosure pertains to electric railways, typically used for mass transit systems such as subways and assorted light rail systems. More particularly, it pertains to a bracket for holding or supporting a cover structure above the contact rail or third rail in such electrified railway systems.
Both subway and elevated rapid transit systems include a third rail or contact rail which needs to be insulated because it is electrified (normally with DC power). Such third rails are generally supported on insulators relative to the ground and disposed on one side of a railway carriage. Extending laterally from the carriage is a contact element or shoe which serves to engage the third rail. It is very desirable that such third rails be shielded by covers as much as possible in order to prevent accidental contact with the rail by personnel or by foreign objects, while at the same time permitting engagement of the rail by the contact element or shoe associated with the drive motor of the electrified railway carriage. Also, since such covers must extend for many miles, it is desirable that the structures afford the necessary protection while simultaneously being economical.
It is known to provide brackets which are mounted to the third rail, with the brackets in turn holding a cover board or similar guard or shield that retards objects or people from falling onto or contacting the third rail. However, the known systems are in need of improvement. First, it is labor intensive and, hence, expensive to mount the known brackets, and their cover boards to the third rail. Second, the known brackets which support the cover boards are liable to be damaged by the shoe of the railway carriage as the shoe moves up and down between the cover board and the third rail during travel of the railway carriage. Third, the known brackets do not enable a safety flag holder to be readily mounted to or detached from such brackets.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a bracket and cover board system which is inexpensive, not prone to be damaged by the shoe of the railway carriage and is adapted to hold a safety flag. It would also be advantageous to provide a flag holder which is adapted to be mounted to both a conventional bracket and the inventive bracket of the present disclosure.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a cover board and bracket construction which can satisfy the above stated needs and provide better and more advantageous results. It would also be desirable to provide a flag holder which is adapted for use both with conventional brackets and with a bracket according to the present disclosure.